Leader of Manchester's Liberal Democrats supports vote for elected mayor

The leader of Manchester’s Liberal Democrats has come out in support of a London-style mayor for the city. Marc Ramsbottom has spoken out after an M.E.N. poll revealed that a referendum, which will ask the public if they want the new style of leadership next month, is on a knife-edge.

The leader of Manchester’s Liberal Democrats has come out in support of a London-style mayor for the city.

Marc Ramsbottom has spoken out after an M.E.N. poll revealed that a referendum, which will ask the public if they want the new style of leadership next month, is on a knife-edge.

Almost 43 per cent of Mancunians are intending to vote in favour of government plans to have a directly-elected mayor running the city instead of a council leader on May 3, according to more than 1,000 people who took part in our survey.

The government is asking people in 10 of the biggest cities to vote on the new model which they believe will bring stronger accountability and leadership.

Both Lib Dem and Labour politicians locally have previously knocked the idea, claiming that a mayor for Greater Manchester would have been a better option. But Coun Ramsbottom now says he believes a mayor would give Manchester better prospects when it comes to attracting jobs and investment.

He said: “We really need a mayor for the whole Greater Manchester region, but that is not what is being offered. There is now a strong case for Manchester having an elected mayor to make sure we don’t lose out on much needed investment and jobs to the city.”

The move will be unpopular with senior Labour politicians in the area who are quietly opposed to the change.